Hemant has been trying like hell to donate $3000 contributed by his readers to the town of Morton Grove, Illinois and they keep insisting on not taking it. Originally it was to make up for the loss of a donation from the American Legion to a public park there, but the park board said no. Now the library board gave the same answer.
Following a fiery debate that pitted Morton Grove Library trustees against one another, the board voted 5-2 not to accept a donation of roughly $3,000 from an atheist blogger…
Reached by phone late Thursday, Mehta said he was surprised.
“I’m in shock right now,” he said. “I figured at least the library would take it.”
Library Board of Trustees Treasurer Catherine Peters said she stopped library staff from depositing the check earlier this month, calling it a matter that should be voted on by the board.
Board President Mark Albers, who voted to accept the donation, said he had no idea whether or not the funds even came from Mehta’s campaign, saying they could actually be Mehta’s own money.
But many board members were more alarmed by the nature of the Mehta’s blog and the ethical implications accepting money from him might pose.Peters referred to the blog as a “hate group” and read aloud several comments made by readers of the blog.
Hemant’s blog? A hate group? By what possible definition of “hate”? I think it may be time to just tell Morton Grove to go to hell. They don’t want our money, they don’t get our money. Donate it to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society instead. I’d rather it go to help find a cure for cancer since there doesn’t appear to be a cure for being bigoted assholes.
